Voices of Lubbock: What Locals Say About Homelessness and Mental Health

After years of watching the same sad faces pop up on Lubbock County Mugshots each week, I've begun to wonder whether or not we are doing everything we can to help those in our community who need us the most.

Are bureaucratic red tape, lack of support—whether financial, familial, or otherwise—and mounting arrest records for petty crimes keeping Lubbock’s most vulnerable trapped in a cycle they can’t escape?

Yesterday, I asked Lubbock residents to tell me how they felt about the way our city responds to caring for homeless individuals facing problems like drug addiction and severe mental illness and to offer any ideas, solutions, or insight on the matter. 

I was genuinely blown away by how many of you reached out to share your thoughts on Lubbock’s homeless crisis. My inbox was overflowing—and some of you even tracked me down on Facebook to keep the conversation going. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories and be part of this important dialogue.

While opinions on the issue may differ, one thing is certain: Lubbock is full of compassionate people who genuinely care for one another. Some of your stories were so powerful that they moved me to tears.

Reference my original article here if you didn't catch it, and then come back and see what Lubbock has to say below:

Are you already part of the solution? I'd love to hear from you. Tomorrow, I will be covering what resources are currently available for the homeless in our area. If you work for a homeless outreach program, drug addiction center, or a mental health facility, I'd love to hear from you.

Reach me at Chrissy.Covington@townsquaremedia.com and help me add your program to an easily accessible list that gives the less fortunate and their loved ones as many options as possible to help save their lives.

Keep scrolling for more Lubbock-based stories in the galleries below.